The present invention relates to the field of thermostat control systems and, more particularly, to reading enhancement of thermostats and associated methods.
In assisting living facilities, for example, it is often quite difficult for the elderly to see or view the thermostat controls in their rooms, in the common areas, or in designated control centers. As in many facilities, the room temperatures fluctuate with seasonal variations of the surrounding environments, with different desires of users, and with automatic controllers often associated with thermostat control systems.
If a person in the assisted living facilities is uncomfortable, then the person often attempts to change the thermostat himself. Also, having the ability and control of the thermostat can often empower the person to maintain control of the person""s faculties and surrounding environment. Because many times physical limitations are associated with the need for assisted living, if something which may seem as simple such as viewing a thermostat control is difficult, then it only makes adjusting or turning on or off the thermostat even more difficult. Additionally, even if a person does not want to adjust or turn on or off the thermostat, just to check the temperature on which the thermostat is set is often difficult or impossible. Further, thermostat controls or indicators are often so small, non-existent, or worn down over time that persons within the facility even have difficulty determining what the temperature setting is even if their eyesight, for example, is not that bad.
Attempts have been made to address some viewing problems such as placing slightly larger on, off, auto, heat stickers on the dial of a thermostat or cover such as done by Honeywell, Inc.""s CT87D, CT87E, and CT87F Easy-To-See thermostats. These devices, however, still have temperature setting guides that are quite small, difficult to view, and difficult to discern actual settings even when viewing. Also, such stickers on the thermostat often wear and tear and become unglued due to use of the thermostat control. Worn stickers or unglued stickers often are also unsightly and give an unclean appearance to the thermostat control.
Other thermostat companies have developed large digital numeric displays to indicate temperature settings to users. These digital displays, however, often are much more expensive and difficult to manufacture. Such displays also can have more problems with making the thermostats less reliable due to additional electronic failures in addition to or instead of potential mechanical failures. Also, these thermostat controls may have large digital displays, but often the settings to control these displays are quite small and often hard to view and control.
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention advantageously provides a thermostat reading enhancer and methods readily associated with the thermostat control and much less susceptible to problems associated with wear and tear and ungluing of stickers from a thermostat control. Also, the present invention advantageously provides a thermostat reading enhancer which is easily mounted to surround or be positioned adjacent side portions of existing thermostat controls, e.g., retrofit, without the need and expense of purchasing a new thermostat control. The present invention additionally advantageously provides a thermostat reading enhancer which substantially enlarges viewing, provides Braille or another language for a user and makes discernment of control settings for making adjustments much easier. The present invention further advantageously provides a thermostat reading enhancer which is inexpensive to manufacture and to install and easy to use in various locations such as assisted living facilities, hotels, townhouses, apartments, residential homes, and commercial buildings.
More specifically, the present invention advantageously provides a combination of a thermostat and a thermostat reading enhancer. The thermostat reading enhancer is preferably adapted to be positioned adjacent a thermostat which is mounted to a surface. The enhancer preferably has an enhancer body having at least portions thereof abuttingly contacting the mounting surface and retained in a position between the thermostat and the mounting surface. The enhancer body also preferably has substantially larger enhancer indicia than indicia on the thermostat visibly displayed on the surface thereof. The enhancer indicia further preferably aligns with the thermostat indicia so that the thermostat setting indicators or positions of the thermostat directly correspond to or match the enhancer indicia to allow a user to readily recognize that the enhancer indicia are the actual thermostat settings.
The present invention also advantageously provides another combination of a thermostat and a thermostat reading enhancer. The thermostat reading enhancer is preferably adapted to be positioned adjacent a thermostat which is mounted to a surface. The enhancer preferably has an enhancer body positioned adjacent a thermostat and extending along one or more sides of the thermostat to enhance viewing of control functions and temperature settings. The temperature settings are particularly helpful to indicate how to modify or adjust the thermostat. The enhancer body also preferably has substantially larger enhancer indicia than indicia on the thermostat visibly displayed on the surface thereof. The enhancer indicia further preferably aligns with the thermostat indicia in such a way that the enhancer indicia correspond directly to thermostat controls and settings.
Additionally, the present invention advantageously includes a method of retrofitting an existing thermostat so that the thermostat has enhanced reading of thermostat controls and settings. This method, for example, preferably includes positioning enhancer indicia on a mounting surface adjacent a thermostat. This method can further include securing the thermostat to the mounting surface. More preferably, the enhancer indicia are substantially larger than indicia on the thermostat and aligning with the thermostat indicia in such a way that the enhancer indicia correspond directly to thermostat controls and settings.
The present invention further advantageously includes methods of using and installing a thermostat reading enhancer. A method of installing a thermostat with enhanced reading of thermostat controls and settings, for example, preferably includes positioning enhancer indicia on a mounting surface adjacent a thermostat and securing the thermostat to the mounting surface.
A method of using an enhanced thermostat, for example, preferably includes approaching a thermostat, reading enlarged indicia positioned on a mounting surface adjacent the thermostat, and altering the position of thermostat controls to a desired setting responsive to the read indicia.
The present invention further advantageously includes advertising on a thermostat reading enhancer disclosed herein. For example, names of the manufacture of the enhancer, or logos of the living facilities, hotels, apartments, etc., can be visibly imprinted thereon.